Evaluation of fecal pollution in coastal Italian waters by immunofluorescence

Direct detection of fecal coliforms as indicators of fecal pollution may assess water quality more accurately than culture methods. An irnmunochemical technique involving the use of specific antibodies was applied in addition to plate counts to evaluate Escherichia coliin seawater samples from different coastal areas in southern Italy. The immunofluorescent method showed high specificity for enteropathogenic E. col; although the presence of a threshold value of 102 ce11/100 m1 sets a lower hmit to the possibility of applying this method. It proved to be a rapid screening method to distinguish between polluted and unpolluted areas.